Written Answers Monday 16 February 2009

Scottish Executive

Fair Trade

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18191 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what recommendations it has received from the Secretary of State for International Development, the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Minister for Europe at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the European Commission Office in Edinburgh on the matter of public procurement rules and options for fair trade purchasing.

Michael Russell: The Secretary of State for International Development replied on 22 January. In his reply, the Secretary of State comments that the public procurement process should encourage mainstreaming of fair and ethical trade standards but recognises that this must be carried out in accordance with EU public procurement directives.

  The Minister of Europe responded on 12 February in similar terms and confirmed agreement with the response provided by the Secretary of State for International Development.

  I await replies from the Secretary of State for Scotland and the European Commission Office in Edinburgh to the letters of 8 December 2008 on this issue.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19791 by Maureen Watt on 29 January 2009, whether it considers that, if information on the number of school pupils who were caught carrying a knife was recorded and reported, it would be in a better position to judge the scale of the problem and therefore better equipped to take targeted action.

Fiona Hyslop: Local authorities and schools are in the best position to locally monitor, analyse and respond to serious incidents and to identify what targeted action, if any, is required in response to local needs. Where a particular school may have a particular problem which is causing concern, local authorities have a key role in engaging with the school to secure improvement. In addition, HM Inspectorate of Education, through district inspectors and inspections, also engages with local authorities and schools to take forward issues such as safety, security and disciplinary climate and would continue to work together with a school and local authority to improve provision following an inspection.

  There are a wide range of strategies and provision to manage behaviour in schools including preventing and dealing with serious incidents such as knife carrying. We work with local authorities to support schools implement the most effective approaches to managing behaviour. We fund the Positive Behaviour Team - £500,000 per year - to work across Scotland to promote and good practice through guidance, training and support.

Myalgic Encephalopathy

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total expenditure by NHS Scotland was on medical research in the field of myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome in each of the last five years and how this compares with the UK Government’s expenditure for the same period.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), of the Scottish Government’s Health Directorates, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. One of the main agencies through which the UK Government funds medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). Expenditure figures on myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome research are as follows:

  

 
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 CSO
£0.05 million
£0.05 million
£0.05 million
£0.05 million
£0.05 million


 MRC
£0.14 million
£0.56 million
£0.75 million
£0.80 million
£1.35 million


 Total
£0.19 million
£0.61 million
£0.80 million
£0.85 million
£1.40 million



  The figures for the MRC (which has a UK-wide remit) will include expenditure on research projects carried out in Scotland.